Electric-railway system.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.-

G. T. HANGHETT. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1902.

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No. 735,250. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

G. T. HANGH'ETT.

v ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION 31mm JULY 18, 1902.

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ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. APPLICATION nun JULY 18, 1902.

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PATENT OFFICE GEORGE TILDEN HANCHETT, or I-IAOKENsAcK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO DUDLEY FARRAND, REoEIvER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 735,250, dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed July 18,1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE TILDEN HAN- OHETT, residing at Hackensack, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention primarily seeks toprovide an improved means for producing and control- I0 ling a local energy on a car for actuating electric-switch mechanisms located outside of the car, especially of that type utilized for picking up a main or feeder line current and leading it to the motor on the car carrying the said local energy.

My invention comprehends a novel cooperative arrangementof adynamo-electric machine and air-compressor mechanism, including a storage-tank, whereby the dynamo-eleczo tric machine can be utilized as a generator or as a motor and which also includes means for automatically governing the shifting ac tion of the said dynamo-electric machine, whereby said cooperative arrangement of parts can be operated in a positive and effective manner and without undue Waste of power.

My invention in its more complete makeup includes, first, a governor operated under varying speed for shifting the mechanism from a compressor to an engine position; second, a novel arrangement of valve devices in the cylinder-head and valve-equipped cylinder-heads especially designed to elfect their desired purpose without interfering with the action of the mechanism as an engine and at the same time enable said mechanism to act as an air-compressor when necessary; third,

a peculiar andnovel arrangement of the com- 0 pressor-circuit, a pneumatic governor contained' therein, the object of which is to connect the machine to the line, and thereby apply the line-voltage and making the appara:.

Serial No. 116,099. (No model.)

scribed, and specifically pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrat- 55 ing the general arrangement of my improved electric-railway system. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the compressor or engine mechanism, parts being shown insection. I Fig.

3 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 looking in the directionof the arrow a on Fig. 2 and illustrating the centrifugal or inertia governor and valve-shifting means operated thereby. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6

is a detail section of one of the piston-head puppet-valves. Fig. 7 is a plan view ofone of the valve-equipped piston-heads. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the correlation of the parts when the system is being used for compressing air. Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the system at rest after the air in thestorage-tank has reached a predeter mined maximum pressure and car-motors in circuit with the main-line feed, the direction of which is indicated by the arrow-heads.

In the practical application of my invention the'same embodies an air-compressor mech- 8o anism 1, mounted on the motor-car platform and which in its general make-up may be of the ordinary construction; but the same ineludes certain details and peculiar arrange ment of valves and pistons, the cooperative arrangementof which is shown in Figs. 2, 4t, and 5, by reference to which "it will be noticed the pistons -2 2 are of the invertedtrunk pattern, the heads of which have a number of outlets 2*, controlled by upwardly- 0- opening puppet-ralves2, the purpose of which will presently appear.

3 designates the double crank-shaft, which carries at one end a centrifugal governor mechanism G, presently again referred to, 5 and at the other end it joins with and forms a part of an electric motor E M.

The cylinders 1 l each have a port 1 1 disposed near the center of a valve-chest 4, in which is reciprocally held a cylindrical 1C0 valve 5, the peculiar construction of which and its combination with the centrifugal gova compressor.

ernor and intermediate devices and the airfeedways in the chest 4 forms an essential feature of my invention.

The valve 5 at the opposite ends has transverse channels or grooves 5 5, that extend around about two-thirds (more or less) the circumference of the valve, (see Fig. 4,) and the said grooves 5 are provided for cooperating with the ports 1 1 in the cylinders l 1 in a manner presently explained, and the said valve 5 is also provided with a transverse groove 5", intermediate the grooves 5, which cooperates with an air-channel 4", extending lengthwise of the chest-wall. (See Fig. 5.) The grooves 5 also cooperate with a second longitudinal air-channel 4 in the valve-chest, also shown in Fig. 5.

Midway the chest 4 has an outlet 4, with which connects the pipe 6, that leads the air to the storage-tank S T, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

V designates a three-way valve, mounted on the outlet 4, the purpose of which is to open up direct communication between the valve-chest 4 and the pipe 6, cut ofi' said pipe 6, or place it in communication with an exhaust-pipe 7, that discharges to atmosphere, and bya lateral 7 also communicates with the valve-chest 4.

Each cylinder 1 has a second outlet (indicated by a a) that discharges into a valvecontrolled pocket a thatdischarges into a passage a that communicates with the channel or groove 4 in the valve-casing 4, and the valve a in the pocket at is automatically held to its closed position and acts as a checkvalve to prevent backflow from the storagetank to the cylinders 1 1.

The governor mechanism Gr, before referred to, in its general nature is of a well-known form, with its variable portions made especially sensitive to changes of speed at the critical point, where the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 changes from an engine to In the practical construction the variable portions are so made that a drop of speed of, say, twenty-five revolutions will effect a large motion of the governor and a corresponding shift of the piston valve 5. This latter operation may be effected by an available mechanical connections between the goveror and the pistonfor example, by a bell-crank lever 8, joined with the rod 5 of the piston 5 and having its arm 8 connected by a ball-and-socket joint 8 with a connecting-rod 9, connected with the governor G by a ball-and-socket joint 9*, the latter being so positioned relatively to the axis of the governor G that when the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 operates as an engine for pumping air to the storage-tank the said axis of the joint 9 will be nearly in longitudinal plane with the axis of the governorshaft, (see Fig. 2,) and thereby remain practically inert so far as imparting a shifting motion to the piston 5, which during the operation of pumping air remains nearly staticnary and in the position shown in Fig. l; but when the said mechanism, Figs. 2 and 3, is operating as an engine for creating energy the said joint 9 will be positioned eccentric to the axis of the governor, and as it rotates with the governor imparts motion to the bellcrank 8 and shifts the valve 5 in a manner presently more fully set out.

The manner in which the mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 operates is explained as follows: When operating as an engine, the inertia-governor is thrown to such a position that the valve 5 properly reciprocates, thereby causing the central lateral groove 5 to properly register with the ports 1 1 to admit a fluid-pressure to the cylinders l l alternately. The air is exhausted from the cylinders on the outward stroke of the pistons by reason of the fact that the outer grooves 5 then register with the ports 1 P, which allows air to pass through them and through the longitudinal channel 4 to the exhaustpipe 7. When the pressure in the storagetank reaches a predetermined or minimum point, the pu mp-governor operates, and thereby connects the dynamo-electric machine to the third-rail shoe and produces an electric motive force between the third rail and the track-rail, which picks up the switch S, thereby connecting the dynamo-electric machine to the power-house. The motor in the practical construction is so designed that under the influence of the power-house pressure it will operate at an increased speed and to move the governor so as to shift the point G to a position nearly central with the axis of rotation. Such adjustment of parts has the effect of practically stopping the motion of the valve 5 and leaving it in such position that the ports 1 1 are closed. As the machine continues to run under the influence of the dynamo electric machine and the pistons descend the puppet-valves 2 are lifted and allow the cylinders to fill with air from the cranlncasing 1. The ascending piston closes its puppet-valves under the influence of pressure, and being then unable to force airthrough the ports 1 by reason of the stoppage of the valve 5 above them then forces the air through the auxiliary passage a, which lifts the valve and allows for a free escape of the air through the passage 4" and thence to the storage-tank. The action just described takes place without reversing or stopping. When the pressure has reached a predetermined maximum point, the pumpgovernor acts again and disconnects the dynamo-electric machine from the power-house. Through this loss of power the machine then slows down, the governor acts, the valve 5 again begins to reciprocate in a proper manner and to admit air into the cylinders from the storage-tank and exhaust the same into atmosphere, thereby converting the compressor into an engine again for giving power to the dynamo-electric-machine shaft to drive the same as a generator. It will be apprecilIO ated by those skilled in the art that the pup pet-valves 2 can never open while the machine is running as an engine, for the reason that when so operating the pressure in the cylinder is always higher than the atmospheric pressure. In like manner the valve a cannot operate when the machine is running as an engine, for the reason that the tankpressure is always higher than the cylinderpressure. Therefore the puppet-valves,which act when the engine is a compressor, do not in any way interfere with its operation as an engine. The ports 1 which admit and exhaust the air when the machine is operating as an engine, cannot interfere with its operation as a compressor, for the reason that the shifting-valve 5 does not open them when the machine is so acting. This automatic shifting of the air in reverse directions may be accomplished in various ways; but I prefer to utilize a pneumatic governor in the compressorcircuit-that is,in the pipe joining the air-tank with the valve-chest 4. This pneumatic governor per 36 may be of any approved construction. In the drawings I have illustrated said governor (designated by P G) as including an electric controller having a spring-tension to its closure position and joined with a piston operating under diaphragmatic action governed by the varying pressure in the storage-tank S T.

The operation of my improved system in its entirety is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, the switch S being open, the controller Jcut out, and the pneumatic governor P G in its outoutposition; furthermore, assuming the pres sure in the storage-tank to be at its maximum and the controlling-valvev closed and and all parts at rest, the operator first throws the switch-lever of the switch L onto the contact Z, and thereby brings the shunt-winding K of the dynamo-electric-machine field into circuitwiththedynamo-electric-machine armature G A. This is for the purpose of building up the field of the dynamo-eleciric machine from its own energy, since a shunt-wound generator will build up more readily than a series-wound one. The operator next opens the valve V to make communication between the storage-tank S T and the valve-chamber or chest at. This causes the air-compressor l to operate as an air-engine. As soon as the air-pressure in the tank has fallen below a predetermined minimum point the pneumatic governor will close the circuit at the pneumatic governor P G, which is normally open when the pressure in the tank S T is at a maximum. As the parts are now running the dynamo-electric machine E M is generating a potential nearly equal to the mainline potential and at the same time energizing its own field. The operator next moves the controller J to its first notch. This allows the current generated by the dynamo-electric machine to flow to the third rail and from thence to the high-resistance winding of the switch S to the ground or traction rail and from thence back to the dynamo-electric ma chine. This current produces a magnetic field in the solenoid of the switch S in the usual Well-known manner, thereby sucking up the iron plunger I P and cutting in the main-line circuit through the low-resistance solenoid-winding and cutting out the local dynamo-electric-machine circuit through the high resistance solenoid of the switch S. Now since the potential of the main line is always slightly in excess of that generated by the dynamo-electric machine E M this excess potential will force a current through the dynamo-electric machine in the opposite direction through which it had been formerly flowing, and thereby cause the generator E M to speed up and act as a motor 'to compress air in the tank S T, as before described. As soon'as' the air-pressure in the tank S T is again at its maximum the pneumatic governor P G again cuts out the dynamo-electricmachine circuit, it being understood that before'the air in the tank S T again reaches a maximum pressure the operator will have turned the controller J to the second notch to cut in the traction-motors F. As soon as the air is again at its maximum pressure in the tank S T and the dynamo-electric-machine circuit cut out by the pneumatic governor P G the operator closes the valve V. The trolley is so constructed as to bridge the insulation between two successive sections of the third rail. Therefore each successive railsection will be brought into circuit by having its switch picked up by the current in the preceding section, which preceding section immediately the trolley passes over it becomesdisenergized. Should the carbe brought to a full stop and the controller J turned entirely off,'as shown in Fi 1, the foregoing cycle of operations will be repeated. Should it be desirable to stop the car and start again without going through the above cycle of operations,the operator will first close the switch R S, thereby short-circuiting a portion of the main-line current through the two banks of resistance R R, and this current is only sufficient to hold switches closed. He then returns the controller J to the first notch, as shown in Fig. 8, which cuts out the tractionmotors, and allows the car to come to rest. To start again, it is only necessary to turn the controller J to the second notch, as shown in Fig. 9, which again cuts in the tractionmotor F. Should it be desired to keep the dynamo-electric-m achi ne field energized at all times, the shunt-coil K is brou ht into circuit with the main line by turning the switchlever L to the contact Z. v p

I provide the usual short-circuit switch M and safety blow-out N, which operates in the ordinary manner. While I have described my dynamo-electric machine as having its field energized by the shunt-coil K, yet I desire it understood that such action is not absolutely necessary, as the series coil K will answer the same purpose.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the position the various parts assume just after the dynamoeleotric machine E M has furnished current to pick up the switch and the main-line current just placed in circuit and just before the controller J is turned to the second or traction motor notch, the dynamo electric machine E M now acting as a motor and driving the air-pump Z to bring the pressure in the storage-tank S T up to the maximum again. In Fig. 91 have shown the same parts in the positions they assume just at the instant when the pressure in the storage-tank is again at a maximum, the pneumatic governor P G havingjust cut out the dynamo-electricmachine circuit and the controller J being on the second or traction-motor-circuit notch. At this time the dynamo-electric machine has been running as a motor to store air in the tank; but the instant the pneumatic governor cuts out the dynamo-electric machine from the main-line circuit the air-pump then begins again to act,this time as an engine,driving the dynamo-electric machine E M as a generator again, and as soon as the pressure in the tank has fallen again to the predetermined minimum the pneumatic governor again cuts in the main-line circuit and the above cycle of operations is again repeated. So long as the main line is in circuit the dynamo-electric machine E M causes air to be stored in the tank until a predetermined maximum pressure is reached, when the pneumatic governor cuts out the main line until the pressure is again at a predetermined minimum. These operations are continuously repeated as long as the main-line current is available or until the valve V is turned off.

While I have described my invention as being especially adapted for use in picking up switches for cutting in and controlling the main-line current, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the dynamo-elec-v tric machine E M may be utilized for a limited time to furnish current to operate the traction-motor F in case the main-line circuit becomes broken. In this way the car may be run over one or more dead sections of the third rail, if desired, and as is sometimes found necessary for instance, when one or more switches become inoperative or when the current has been cutoff from asection of third rail while making repairs, 850.

In the drawings the switches S are shown as of the solenoid type, the plunger consisting of the iron or magnetic portion I P and the non-magnetic portion N P, as shown, and the circuits F designate the traction-motor circuit, H the compressor-motor circuit, J the ordinary controller common to both circuits, R R resistance-coils, K and K the field-windings for the compressor-motor, L and M circuit-closing switches of the usual type, and N a safety blow-out.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed the complete operation and the advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

It will be noticed the placing of puppetvalves on the hollow piston-heads, as described, adapted to cooperate with the shifting valve devices, permits of passing air from exterior into the cylinder, but not in reverse direction. While I prefer to place the puppet-valves in the piston-head for the purposes stated, I desire it understood I do not limit myself to such exact arrangement of said valves to produce the results stated. Neither do I confine myself to the exact arrangement of the means for interfering with the distribution of the air to the cylinders for engine purposes, as these may be varied or modified without departing from my invention or the scope of the appended claims. For example, the governor devices may alter the motion of the controlling-valve 5 so far that the machine may become a compressor without using the puppet-valves referred to at all, for in the practical arrangement of my mechanism the valve 5 may be arranged to shift back and forth at the proper times, so as to open the port 1 to admit air to the tank and to open to the exhaust when the piston is drawing in air. The parts are also so arranged that the shifting valve does not entirely stop when the engine becomes a compressor. It still has a short motion, but not sufficient to uncover the ports 1 (Shown in Figs. 2 and 10.) It will, however, be understood the parts can be arranged so as to entirely stop the valve by means of having the joint 9 of the governor devices adjusted to the center of the axis of rotation; but this is not absolutely necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A means for transforming energy for the purposes described, comprising a dynamoelectric machine, a fluid-pressure mechanism for driving the dynamo-electric machine, a device governed by the fluid-pressure to cause the dynamo-electric machine to act as a motor to furnish energy to restore said fluidpressure.

2. A dynamo-electric machine, fluid-pressure drive mechanism connected with the shaft thereof adapted when driven by the fluid-pressure to operate the dynamo-electric machine as a dynamo, and mechanical devices electrically connected with the dynamoelectric machine for causing the dynamoelectric machine to act as a motor to operate the fluid-pressure drive mechanism to restore the fluid-pressure.

3. In an electric railroad system as described, a drive mechanism adapted to be alternately adjusted to serve as an engine and as an air-compressing means, a dynamo-electric machine coupling with said mechanism and mechanical devices electrically connected with the dynamo electrical machine for controlling the drive mechanism to cause it to act either as a dynamo-electric-machine driver, or as an air-compressing means driven by the dynamo-electric machine when it, the dynamo-electric machine, acts as a motor.

4. A dynamo-electric machine, an air-compressor cooperatively joined therewith, an air-storage tank, and valved connections intermediate the tank and compressor, in combination with means controlled by the varying pressure in the storage-tank for using the dynamo-electric machine as a generator or as a motor, as conditions may require.

5. In a mechanism for the purposes described, an air-compressor, dynamo-electric machine cooperatively joined therewith, a storage-tank, valved connections intermediate the tank and the compressor,-said aircompressor including a shiftable valve for distributing air to or from the piston-chambers of the compressor, or interferring with such distribution, and an inertia governor mechanism coupled with the drive-shaft for the compressor and the dynamo-electric machine, and linked with the aforesaid shiftable valve.

6. The combination with a dyn'amoelectric machine, an air-compressor, a crank-shaft, common to the compressor and the dynamoelectric machine, an air --storage tank; of means controlled by the varying pressure in the storage-tank for cutting out current that operates the compressor and motor as means for storing power and adjusting the said compressor and dynamo-electric-machine devices to operate under fluid-pressure for generating electric current, as set forth.

7. In a mechanism as described, the combination with the dynamo-electric machine, the dynamo-electric-machine crank-shaft, a piston connected to the crank-shaft, a cylinder for the piston, said piston having valved outlets for bringinginto communication the cylinder at the opposite sides of the piston, a storage-tank, a valve-chest cooperating with the piston-cylinder, said cylinder having a direct and an indirect channel communication with the said chest, a valve for closing OK the indirect channel on the downstroke of the piston, and adapted to open by air-pressure from the cylinder, said direct and indirect channels having a common outlet to the storage-tank, a slide-valve within the chest for controlling the direct channel or air-feed to or from the storage-tank to the pistonchest, and means controlled by the variable speed of the crank-shaft for operating the shiftable valve, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

8. The combination with an air-storage tank and a dynamo-electric machine; of an engine mechanism connected with the storage-tank and the dynamo-electric machine, adapted to be alternately operated by motor-power to charge the storage-tank or by fluid-pressure from the tank to operate the dynamo-electric machine as a generator, said engine mechanism including shiftable valve devices for controlling the inflow and outflow of air to the piston-chamber, and means controlled by the variable speed of the engine-shaft for setting the said valve devices to meet the conditions required.

9. The combination of an air-storage tank, a dynamo-electric machine and an engine mechanism connected with the said dynamoelectric machine and storage-tank, said engine mechanism including valve devices, including a sliding valve for controlling the inflow and outflow of air between its pistonchambers and the storage-tank, and mechanism controlled by the variable speed of the engine-shaft, for holding the sliding valve over its ports when the engine is operated by the dynamo-electric-machine power to pump air into the storage-tank, and to move said slide-valve to control the fluid-pressure from the storage-tank to said cylinders, for operating the engine to impart motion to the dynamo-electric machine to cause it to act as a generator, for the purposes stated.

10. Amechanismforthepurposesdescribed, comprising, an air-compressing means,an airstorage tank, adynamo-electric machine coupled with the compressing means, adapted under certain conditions to impart motion to the compressor means for creating pressure in the storage-tank, a controller in the dynamo-electric-machine circuit governed by the pressure in the air-storage tank, and adapted under a predetermined maximum pressure to cut out the dynamo-electric machine as a driving power, and under a predetermined minimum pressure to restore the circuit to said motor and cause it to again serve as a driving power, a centrifugal governor on the dynamo-electric-machine shaft, 

